BANGKOK, 24 November 2023 – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) Management Team (JMT) jointly organised the JAIF Coaching Clinic in Bangkok, Thailand on 23 – 24 November in cooperation with the ASEAN Secretariat.
The JAIF Coaching Clinic affirmed ASEAN and Japan’s commitment to bringing JAIF closer to its stakeholders by holding in-country workshop-cum-consultation. A total of 40 representatives from the government and Bangkok-based regional organisations had the opportunity to learn about JAIF’s cooperation and gained hands-on knowledge on developing project proposals and implementing JAIF-funded projects effectively under the ASEAN Cooperation Projects framework.
In her opening remarks, Chatvadee Chindawongse, Director of Strategy and Cooperation Division, Department of ASEAN Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Thailand, highlighted the significance of hosting this event as ASEAN and Japan are celebrating the 50th anniversary of friendship and cooperation this year. As the country coordinator for Japan, Thailand expressed appreciation for Japan’s long-lasting support for ASEAN’s integration efforts.
Her remarks were followed by Naoki Minamiguchi, Director of the JAIF Management Team, who commended an important role Thailand has been playing in ASEAN’s comprehensive integration through various strategic initiatives and hosting many ASEAN centres. He encouraged the participants to capitalise on this workshop-cum-consultation with JMT and develop strategic proposals to drive regional agendas forward.
The two-day workshop included presentations, group exercises and discussions. In addition to the detailed knowledge of JAIF’s cooperation, the participants learned about governing rules and procedures of the ASEAN Development Cooperation Programme from Casandra Aleksia of the ASEAN Secretariat.
Participants who came with specific project ideas or currently implementing JAIF-funded projects were also given the opportunity to consult the JMT staff. Concluding the event, participants expressed appreciation for the interactive approach and in-depth exchanges of practical knowledge and experiences between the JMT and ASEAN staff and the participants.
About JAIF:
JAIF was officially established in March 2006 to support ASEAN’s integration efforts as well as promote greater cooperation between ASEAN and Japan. The total contributions to date amount to above USD 875 million. More than 570 projects have since been implemented in the areas of disaster management, counter-terrorism, maritime cooperation, economic integration, small and medium-sized enterprises development, youth exchanges, and others. The support from JAIF for strengthening ASEAN-Japan relations is highly regarded by the ASEAN Member States.
